Mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



G. W. POMEROY.

MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DELIVERBR.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 21, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 1 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO., WASHINGTON, D- C- G. W. POMEROY. MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 21, 1910.

. 39 79 Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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G. W. POMEROY. I MAIL BAG CATGHER AND DELIVERBR.

APPLIOATION FILED 1130.31, 1910.

m m 1 M r 0 P k Wm M a 9 9. m mi COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO, WASHINGTON, D C.

GEORGE W. POMEROY, OF LOGANSPOR-T, INDIANA.

MAIL-BAG CATCHER AND DELIVERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct 1, 1912.

Application filed December 21, 1910. Serial No. 598,569.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. POMEROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Logansport, in the county of Cass and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

The aims of my invention, are simplicity, efficiency, durability, and cheapness. The measure in which I have secured these ends will be apparent after an understanding of my invention.

I show the best form of my invention now known to me in the accompanying drawings, but it will be evident that those skilled in the art may make many modifications without departing from its generic spirit.

Of the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of the mechanism in operation, a car passing a stationary mail catch and delivery mechanism being shown in section and as equipped with complemental mechanism, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of this car, Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism on the car, Fig. 4: is a plan view of the stationary mechanismshown in Fig. 1, and Figs. 5 and 6 are details.

The mechanism of my invention is of the type particularly adapted for use in connection with the delivery and collection of mails from small stations by passing trains. The mechanism is of the fork type, combined with chain suspension of the mail bags to be delivered. The fork catches a chain by which one or more bags are suspended, instead of catching the bodies of the bags themselves. By this means a dozen bags may be collected or delivered with the same facility as one bag. The fork type of catcher I recognize as very old broadly, as is also the chain type of suspension, but I have made a decided structural change in the mechanism as a whole, and supplemented its action by combining with it devices which make its action more completely automatic.

Referring to the drawings and first to Fig. 3, 10 designates generally the fork on the car. This fork is carried by a rod or bar 11 which extends across the door-way 12 on the outside of the car, being journaled in bearings 13, 13 to turn therein. The bearings 13, 13 I make of a peculiar con struction, in order that the fork may be reversed, when it is desired to o-peratethe mechanism with' the train passing in the opposite direction.

The caps 14 and 14 of the bearings 13 and 13, respectively, are of L-shape and are hinged at their outer ends upon the outer ends of correspondingly shaped bases 15, 15, respectively. The horizontal portions of the bases 15 and 15 and the caps 14 and 1 1 extend outwardly from the car and are provided with registering transverse recesses across their inner opposite faces, adapted to snugly and rotatably receive the ends of the bar or rod 11. With this peculiar shaping or form of the bearings 13 and 13, the rod '11 may be quickly and easlly reversed in the bearings to dispose the improved fork in the opposite direction by slmply swinging the caps 14, and 14 up and outwardly to open the recesses. The caps 14, 14: are secured in normal position by thumb nuts 16 connected with a suitable bolt as shown. The bar 11 is rotated to move the catcher to extended position as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 or to the retracted position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4; by means of the operating handle 17.

The fork 10 is composed of a fixed steel prong 18 rigidly secured to the bar 11 at one end 19 and projects first directly out from the rod 11, and then forwardly at an angle of about 30 degrees to the side of the car. A movable prong 20 is pivoted at a point 21 opposite the free end 22 of the fixed prong on a support 23, adjustably mounted on rod 11 as shown, and projecting forwardly and toward the fixed prong 18. The movable prong 20 is bowed toward the fixed prong 1.8 to meet the same at about its middle, from which point it runs in parallel and at joining position to the fixed prong l8 nearly to its fixed end, the free end of the movable prong being adjacent the fixed end 19 of the fixed prong. A bow spring 24: secured at one end to the support 23 and at the other end to the prong 20 normally biases this prong to the fixed prong. A stay 25 extends from the rod 11 to the fixed prong 18, and in addition to serving as a brace for the prong 18 serves as a guide for the free end of the prong 20 in its movements, the prong 20 being forked at its free end 26 and the branches of the forks embracing the guide 25 as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

A latch 27 pivoted to the roof of the car above the handle 17 engages by its lower forked end 28 the projection 29 from the handle 17 near the end of the projection. hen the fork is moved to extended position as shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3 this latch automatically engages the projection 29 when the handle is released, gravity moving the latch to a position directly over the projection as soon as the projection passes the end 28. Thus the fork may be held in extended position when once moved to that position.- Secured to the movable prong 20 of the fork is a releasing member 30 which projects past rod 11 and terminates in a T-head 31 normally immediately adjacent the fork 28 of the latch. When the movable prong 20 of the fork is moved inwardly upon the reception of a mail bag by the fork, the releasing member 30 willrelease the fork from the latch.

' Referring now to Fig. 4, in which is shown the forks for the station, it will be seen that a double construction of forks is used. In general the construction of each fork is the same as that of the described fork on the car. Instead of an adjustable support 23 for the movable prongs 20 of the forks, these movable prongs in this instance are pivoted directly to the ends of a rod or bar 32 which extends at right angles to a supporting lever 33 to which the rod 32 is attached approximately at its middle. Two bow-springs 34 are used, one on each side of the movable prongs 20 and bar 32 respectively, for bracing the movable prongs to the fixed prongs. The fixed prongs are secured to the supporting lever 33 in advance of the rod 32 and adjacent the free ends of the movable prongs 20. Braces 35 to the right and left of the support 33, brace the fixed prongs 18 and also serve as guides for the free ends of the movable prongs 20, there being in this instance a brace 35 on each side of the fixed prongs l8 and rod 32, and the free end of the movable prongs projecting between the pairs of braces. The supporting lever 33 is adapted to support the prongs at the top and in front of a stationary post 36 at the top of which is hinged pivot bearing 37 comprising two spaced hinged plates 38 for the supporting lever 33. A pin 39 passes through the hinged plates and through the lever. The hinge is somewhat ofiset as shown from the line of the post so that the forks may be swung downwardly to the dotted line position parallel to the body of the post as shown in Fig. 1. A latch 40 is provided for maintaining the forks in extended position shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 4. This latch comprises a U-shaped yoke of a width adapting the yoke to embrace the bearing 37 as shown in Fig. 4. The two lateral branches 41 of the yoke are slidably mounted-on the opposite sides of the bearing in sockets 42 on the rod 32. A notch 42' is formed on the rear of each hinged plate 37, and the transverse bottom 43 of the U-shaped yoke is adapted to be received in these notches. The yoke is pressed forwardly and into the notches when the prongs are in extended position by means of springs 44. The spring 45 connects the bottom of the yoke 43 with the bar 32, while the spring 45 is coiled upon a rcarwardly projecting rod 46 the end of which is slidably in a bearing 47, the spring 45 pressing at one end against the bearing 47 and at the other end against the bottom 43 of the yoke. The free ends of the lateral branches 41 project forwardly in close proximity to the free ends 48 of the movable prongs 20 of the forks. Upon the receipt of a mail bag by either one of the forks, this depending upon the direction of passage of the train, the latch; will be released and the forks may drop to retracted position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

011 the car (see Fig. l) on the side of the door at the rear of the fork is placed a delivery yoke 49. This yoke is U-shapcd, and is held in place from the bottom of the yoke by a projecting hook 50 provided with a squared end placed in a squared socket 51 secured to the side of the car. Other means of support may be used if desired. The lateral branches 52 of the U-shaped yoke project straight outward from the side of the car and at their ends are provided with clevises adapted to hold and release at the proper time the chain 54 which supports the mail bags. These clevises comprise fingers 55 hinged in horizontal planes to the ends of the branches 52, and clasping springs 56 are secured to the sides of the fingers and curved away from each other, and then toward each other until they adj o-in, then project forwardly in contact with each other for a limited distance, the outermost ends being flared to permit the ready reception of the chain to be clasped. Projecting rearwardly the rear ends of the springs 56 are flared at an angle of about 30 degrees from the sides of the branches 52. The chains 54 are provided at their upper and lower ends with pin links 57 on which are fixed two washers 58 and 59. The pins are adapted to be received between the spring clasp 56 of the clevises, while the washers 58 and 59 prevent them from falling through. From one end, the lower end of the chain, is suspended a strap 60 by which strap an desired number of sacks of mail may be suspended from the chain.

On the extended end 61 of the supporting lever 33 (see Fig. 4) is mounted a vertical bracket 62 in the upper end of which is a socket 63 for the support of a delivery yoke in all respects similar to that just described.

The relative vertical positions of the yokes and forks on the car and at the station re-' yoke being approximately on a line with the car fork, the arrangement being such that the yokes are adapted to pass each other without interference, while the forks each operate upon the proper chain normally about its middle. The width of the yoke and length of the chains is such as to allow ample clearance in case there is rocking of the passing train.

The operation of my invention is readily discernible from the foregoing description. Assuming the forks on the car and station respectively have been extended to the 'full,

line position of Fig. 1, prior to the passage of the train by the station, the forks are held in extended position by the latches 27 and 40 respectively. An operating rope 64: is shown attached to the counter-weighted end 65 of the lever 83 for operating the station forks. The bottom 43 of the latch slides against the rear edges of the hinge plates until it is received in the sockets 4:2. The

sacks of mail to be delivered from the car and from the station respectively are hung from chains in the clevises of the delivery yokes as shown. Upon the passage of the train by the station, the forks on the car take the chain supporting the sacks at the station between the fixed and movable prongs 18 and 20, and by virtue of the large Washers 5S and 59 on the chains, and the extended adjoining portions of the prongs pressed closely together by the bow-springs 24:, the bags are held firmly and it is practically impossible for any rebound to take the chain from the grasp of the fork. Upon the spreading of the prongs 18 and 20 of the car fork, the projection 30 operates the latch 27 to throw it from the projection 29 and release the fork. The fork immediately drops to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and throws the bags of mail bodily in the car door. This all happens quickly while the train is traveling at high speed and upon release of the latch the inertia of the sacks of mail is sufficient to give at all times most reliable operation. The shock of the impact upon the receipt of a bag of mail is taken up by a spring 66 as is common. The operation at the station is quite similar. The spreading of the prongs of the station forks upon the receipt of the chain between them operates the latch 40 to release the prongs, whereupon the prongs are moved by their own weight combined with the weight of the sack of mail to a retracted osition alongside the post, in which position the mail sack may be most readily removed and other mail to be delivered placed upon the delivery yoke.

It is to be noted that the spring clevises move with the chains 54 as they are being withdrawn by the forks, for a certain distance, inclining themselves in the direction of movement of'the receiving fork. Upon the impinging of the rear ends of the springs 56 upon the sides of the lateral branches of the yokes, this movement is yieldingly stopped, and the chain pulled from the clevises without shock or sudden strain upon the mechanism. It is also to be noted that by virtue of the relative lateral positions of the forksand delivery yokes, that the chains are removed from the yokes prior to the passage of the yokes past each other.

What I claim is:

1. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, a main catching member hinged upon a car and adapted to drop down thereagainst, a second catching member hinged upon the main member and bearing thereagainst to grip therebetween a mail bag, a latch upon the car to hold the members in a raised po sition, and tripping means upon the second member adapted to release the catch upon the reception of a mail bag between the members to trip the same.

2. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, a catcher fork disposed in hinged relation to a car and having a fixed prong adapted to swing down against the side of the car, the fork being provided with a movable prong bearing yieldably against the fixed prong and adapted for movement therewith, a latch upon the car for holding the fork in a raised extended position, and a tripping arm carried upon the movable prong for engagement with the latch to release the fork upon the reception of a mail bag between the prongs.

3. In a mail bag catcher and deliverer, a catching fork, having two prongs, one of which is fixed and the other of which is movable, the free end of the movable prong being adjacent the fixed end of the fixed prong, and the said fork having extended and retracted positions, a latch for holding said fork in extended position, and operating means for the latch positioned to be engaged by the free end of the movable prong of the fork.

4L. In a mail bag catcher and deliverer, a pivoted fork adapted for engagement against a car and to swing down against the side thereof, a latch associated with the fork to hold the same in a raised extended position, and releasing means carried upon the fork for engagement with the latch upon the receipt of a mail bag within the fork.

5. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, a

, hinged fork adapted for engagement across the door of a car, a catch uponthe car for engagement with the fork to hold the same in extended position from the door of the car, and releasing means carried upon the fork for engagement with the catch upon the receipt of a mail bag within the fork, whereby the fork moves down through the door of the car.

6. In a mail-bag catcher and deliverer, a catcher fork having a movable prong, a support for the fork, a pivotal bearing for the support having a rounded and notched upper edge, said support passing through the bearing, the said fork being adapted to move with said support on said bearing as a pivot and to occupy extended and retracted positions, a yoke latch carried by said support embracing the bearing and engaging in the notch to'hold the fork extended, the branches of said yoke projecting into the path of movement of the movable prong of said fork whereby the latch is released upon movement of said movable prong.

7. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a catcher fork pivoted by a hinged joint, the hinged plates of said joint being rounded,- said fork comprising fixed and movable prongs, and being adapted to move on said pivot and to occupy extended and retracted positions, a notch on the hinged joint, a spring latch secured to said fork and adapted to engage said notch when said fork is extended and lock the same in extended position, and an operating part associated with said latch and extending in proximity to the branches of said fork, whereby movement of said branches of the fork will release the fork from extended position.

8. A mail bag catcher and deliverer, comprising a support, two catcher forks carried by said support, and adapted to occupy ex tended and retracted positions, a latch for securing said forks in extended position, said latch being adapted to be operated by the movable arm of either fork receiving a mail bag to release the forks from extended position and allow them to fall to retracted position.

9. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a central pivoted support, two catcher forks, the prongs of which project in opposite directions from said center carried by said support and adapted to move with said support and to occupy extended and retracted positions, said forks having fixed and movable prongs, the said movable prongs having fixed outer ends and movable free inner ends, and a latch adjacent the inner ends of the movable prongs, and having two operating branches projecting one into the path of movement of each movable prong.

10. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a catcher fork, and a delivery yoke adapted for relative movement, the said yoke having a horizontally projecting supporting arm and a clevis hinged to said arm in a horizontal plane, the said clevis comprising a laterally movable finger, and spring clasps on opposite sides of said finger adapted to receive vertically the suspending member of a mail bag.

11. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a catcher fork, and a delivery yoke adapted for relative movement, the said yoke having a horizontally projecting supporting arm and a clevis hinged to said arm in a horizontal plane, the said clevis comprising a laterally movable finger, and spring clasps on opposite sides of said finger adapted to receive vertically the suspending member of a mail bag, the said spring clasps having rearwardly extending projections flaring-away from said arm and adapted to serve as yielding stops limiting the lateral movement of said clevis.

12. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a catcher fork and a U-shaped delivery yoke adapted for relative movement, the said yoke being secured to its support at the bottom, and having arms projecting outwardly from the car, and clevises pivoted in horizontal planes for the support of a mail-bag and adapted to hold the same until released by the suspending member.

13. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a catcher fork, a U-shaped delivery yoke adapted for relative movement, the said yoke being secured to a support at the bottom by a polygonal socket on said support and a fitting pole stem on said bottom of the U-shaped yoke, whereby said fork is fixed in position, and clevises hinged in horizontal planes on the ends of the lateral branches of said U-shaped yoke and adapted to hold a mail bag by a suspending member to be caught by said fork.

14. A mail bag catcher and deliverer comprising a U-shaped delivery yoke and a catcher fork on a horizontal moving transport and being offset longitudinally from one another, a similarly arranged yoke and catcher on a stationary support, said yokes each lying with their lateral arms in common vertical planes, and an arm of each yoke being positioned vertically to pass between the arms of the other yoke.

15. A mail bag catcher and deliverer, comprising a U-shaped delivery yoke and a catcher fork on a horizontally moving transport, a similar deliverer and fork on a stationary support, the said forks being adapted to be positioned in approximately horizontal planes in extended positions, the said yokes each lying with their lateral arms in common vertical planes, and an arm of each yoke being positioned to pass between the arms of the other yoke, the top arm of the yoke on the transport being substantially in In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1 line With the fork on the transport, and a my hand in presence of two subscribing 10 bottom arm of the yoke on the stationary Witnesses. support being substantially in line With the 5 fork on the stationary support, the forks being one vertically above the other and the Witnesses: delivery yokes in each case being located to T. P. TARBOX, the rear of the accompanying fork. ARTHUR L. BRYANT.

GEORGE W. POMEROY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Wa.sh'ington, D. G. 

